YOUNGSTOWN — A $5 million grant request that’s among more than $155.7 million being sought from the state for dozens of regional projects would, according to a top executive with Mercy Health-Youngstown, enable the health care provider to bolster its commitment to transform the Belmont Avenue corridor by expanding stroke care at the hospital.

“Specifically, these grant funds would enable Mercy Health to add additional infrastructure and technology to care for more patients in need of complex stroke treatments,” Dr. John Luellen, president, Mercy Health-Lorain and -Youngstown, said.

Forty-one projects spread across Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties are contained in the mega request filed last week with the state’s Appalachian Community Grant Program. The total cost of all of the projects is more than $431.6 million.

The $5 million for Mercy Health would be used toward a thrombectomy-capable stroke center, according to documents provided by Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, the lead applicant for the funding.

It’s not the largest request for funding, but it would be used for the largest project among them — $114 million.

The request is in addition to efforts by Mercy Health to elevate the stroke care designation at St. Elizabeth’s.

Mercy Health is seeking to upgrade the hospital just north of downtown from a primary stroke center designation to an advanced certified thrombectomy-capable stroke center next year, Luellen said.

“This designation will recognize the advanced-level stroke care available in the (Mahoning) Valley that allows patients to receive certain complex stroke procedures close to home, which is essential when time is of the essence,” Luellen said.

According to the Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs in the U.S., thrombectomy-capable stroke center certification is offered in collaboration with the American Heart and Stroke associations.

It means the certified facility meets the standards for performing endovascular thrombectomy and providing care after.

According to the National Library of Medicine, thrombectomy involves removing a clot from a blood vessel, most commonly from the brain, heart or lungs.

Already along the Belmont Avenue corridor, Mercy Health-Youngstown opened its Belmont Medical Center at the site of the former VA clinic. The facility was renovated to house primary care practices, women’s health services and behavioral health and substance-use disorder services.

The center, which opened in March, also includes a Spanish-speaking primary care practice, Mercy Health’s family medicine residency program, a new addiction medicine fellowship and pregnancy program.

Then in September, Mercy Health with Lifepoint Health affiliate Lifepoint Rehabilitation broke ground on a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital on Belmont Avenue. The facility is planned to have 60 beds, all private rooms, multidisciplinary therapy gyms as well as a 12-bed secured brain injury unit.

When finished, the Mercy Health Rehabilitation Hospital will be jointly operated by Mercy Health and Lifepoint Rehabilitation. It is expected to open in late 2024.